The inventive arrangements relate generally to the field of energy storage, and more particularly to an energy storage device incorporated onto substrate materials.
Shrinking geometries and increasing clock speeds have consistently driven down the supply voltages for central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and other printed circuit board devices. Currently these devices can operate in the +1.0 V to +2.0 V range, but operational voltages will decrease further as operational Importantly, the capacitors typically have relatively high values of capacitance so that the capacitors can store enough energy to supply adequate levels of current. In consequence, capacitors that are used to supplement supply current tend to be fairly large. In order to minimize the slew rate and voltage between the capacitors and the circuit device having the high current requirements, the capacitors also are usually located near the circuit device to minimize circuit resistance and inductance between the capacitors and the circuit device. Locating large capacitors on a printed circuit board at the proper location often can be challenging, however. In particular, the capacitors can limit the extent to which the size of a circuit board can be reduced. Moreover, the capacitors can interfere with the mating of the circuit board to other devices.
The present invention relates to a compact high current source including a homopolar generator integrally formed on a substrate. An electronic circuit is disposed on the substrate as well. In one arrangement, the homopolar generator and the electronic circuit can be formed on a single integrated circuit. The electronic circuit is coupled to the homopolar generator to produce a pulsed high current output from a continuous lower current input. The electronic circuit can include at least one electronically controlled switch responsive to a control signal for alternately connecting the homopolar generator to a current source and to a load. A controller can be used to generate the control signal. Further, the load can have a duty cycle and the electronically controlled switch can cause the current source to connect to the homopolar generator during an off portion of the load duty cycle and connect the homopolar generator to the load during an on portion of the load duty cycle.
The substrate material can be ceramic and/or a semiconductor. For example, the substrate can be a low temperature co-fired ceramic. The homopolar generator can include a circular recess formed in the substrate and at least one conductive disk rotatably disposed within the circular recess. The homopolar generator also can include a magnetic field source and a controller in the electronic circuit for selectively controlling an intensity of a magnetic field produced by the magnetic field source.